Hogwarts year 3
[HARRY]
At the beginning of the third school year, their friendship went through a bit of a rough patch. Everyone noticed Percy came back different after the summer. Besides the streak of bleached hair changing his physical appearance he also changed personality-wise. His smiles sometimes faltered or didn’t seem to reach his eyes. He socialized less and when he did the conversations often felt like he didn’t want to be there.
Harry sometimes wondered if he even wanted to be at Hogwarts at all.
The thing was that Harry had never really thought about people’s lives outside of Hogwarts. Or more to say day-to-day muggle lives in general. Because his own life had been extremely boring the first eleven years of his life, he guessed others must have had the same experience. He always imagined Percy just living the perfect life, a New York kid with a bunch of friends and a loving mom. So it is safe to say Harry was blissfully unaware until the dementors attacked.
Ron, Percy, Hermione and Harry had joyfully reunited on platform 93/4. After they said their necessary goodbyes to Ron and Hermione’s family they fell into a lap of ‘How was your summer’ and ‘Did you see the latest quidditch game?’.
While it seemed like their normal reunions, something felt strange. It took Harry a few minutes to figure out it was Percy. For some reason, he seemed less talkative.
As they shuffled into the train it took a while before they found a compartment. In the end, they found one containing one sleeping occupant but settled quietly into it as the others seemed to be full.
As they talked softly among each other they found out the occupant was a professor called Lupin. They discussed what kind of position he could be holding and why he was riding in the student coach.
As their journey to Hogwarts continued the rain thickened and the sky outside of the widows gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The noise of the wind was now loudly audible in the compartments, but still, Professor Lupin slept.
“We must be nearly there,” said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.
“Great,” said Ron, getting up to try and see outside. “I’m starving. I want to get to the feast. . . .”
At that point, Percy jolted from his seating position. Springing up into the middle of the compartment looking around like a feral cat.
“Percy sit down, we can’t be there yet,” said Hermione, checking her watch.
“So why are we stopping?” Ron asked.
The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.
The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Percy, who had still been standing, surprisingly enough didn’t fly through the compartment. He looked as if he was rooted to the ground, listening for something. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.
“What’s going on?” said Ron’s voice from behind Harry.
“Ouch!” gasped Hermione. “Ron, that was my foot!”
“Guys, stay put” Percy ordered from somewhere in the darkness. If Harry’s ears were correct Percy was standing close to the compartment door. “Don’t open the door, don’t let people in and especially don’t leave the compartment,” At that same time they heard the door slide open.
“What! Percy, where are you going?” Hermione demanded. However, she seemed to be too late as the sound of the door closing followed soon.
Harry felt his way back to his seat.
“D’you think we’ve broken down?”
“Dunno . . .”
“And what was Percy thinking? Does he think he can single-handedly fix the train?” Hermione huffed.
Harry wasn’t too sure about what Percy had been thinking, he had seemed anxious about something the moment the rain had started.
“There’s something moving out there,” Ron said. “I think people are coming aboard. . . .”
Later Harry wished they had listened to Percy and held the compartment door tightly shut. While the first two times it had only been Neville and Ginny entering, their third guest wasn’t as welcome. As soon as Harry had seen the dementor it felt as if he was drowning in ice-cold water. When he came to a few minutes later he felt sick to his stomach, cold lingering in his bones.
Professor Lupin had given him a piece of chocolate as a remedy. Which he only took a nibble of once the sickness started to go down. To his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.
“We’ll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes,” said Professor Lupin. “Are you all right, Harry?”
Harry didn’t ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.
“Fine,” he muttered, embarrassed.
At that moment someone yanked open their compartment door. It was Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff from Fred and George’s year.
“Professor! Percy is unconscious!” He said frantically “He looked at one of the cloaked things and he just fell to the floor,”
“Oh dear” professor Lupin said as he grabbed his bag. Harry made a move to get up and follow him but he turned around. “You three stay here, Percy will be fine, I promise,”.
“But professor-” Hermione started. However, Lupin had already left through the compartment door.
“Do you think Percy is really ok?” Ron asked worriedly. He was rapidly petting Scabbers who was napping on his lap.
“I hope so,” Hermione said softly.
Harry wondered what Percy had heard or seen that made him fall unconscious. While Harry was out for a few seconds Percy must have taken quit a hit if he was still asleep now. They spoke little the rest of the ride, only sometimes throwing an anxious glance at the door.
When they stepped off the train there was still no sign of Percy. While they were looking around the crowd of students. To Harry's displeasure, he came eye to eye with the one person he didn’t feel like seeing, ever, Malfoy. Luckily Malfoy’s taunting was quickly interrupted by professor Lupin, who exited the train at that moment.
“Is there a problem?” said Professor Lupin in a mild voice.
Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, “Oh, no — er —
Professor,” then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.
Hermione, Ron and Harry immediately flocked around Professor Lupin.
“How is Percy?!” they said in unison.
Professor Lupin smiled. “Like I said you musn’t worry. Your friend is fine, Madam Ponfrey got him for a final check over. I recommend you also go see her, Harry,”
Harry had no intention of going to Madam Pomfrey, he felt fine after all. Professor Lupin quickly caught on to this and let out a small sigh. “Now off to the great hall with you all, a delicious feast is waiting.”
As they walked towards the hall Harry almost believed he got away with not going to Madam Pomfrey, that was until McGonagal whisked him away to her office. Luckily Madam Pomfrey declared Harry perfectly fine, which he could have told her himself. He tried to ask her about Percy in the mean time but she bolted from the room as quickly as she came in.
Once he entered the great hall, and took his seat in between Hermione and Ron, Percy still hadn’t shown up. He could see the worry in his friend’s eyes but there was not much they could do. It wasn’t until the desserts appeared on the table that the big doors opened, and in came slugging Percy. He walked towards them and plopped down opposite from the trio, to subsequently drop his head on the table. He let out a loud groan.
“Percy, are you alright?” Hermione inquired.
Percy replied to her by saying something along the lines of “Merdm punfriet wordnt rem mr go”.
“Whut?” Ron said helpfully.
Percy took his head off the table. Blowing off the napkin that was stuck to his face. “I said; Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t let me go. It was horrible, I love chocolate but she forced me to eat four whole bars.” He looked sickly at the giant chocolate cake on the table.
“But what happened on the train, how did you pass out?” Harry asked
“Stopped some of them from entering the compartments, only to look one of them straight in the eye” He grumbled “Before I knew it my face hit the floor”
“Did you hear a scream right before?” harry asked pressingly
“hmm, no scream, well unless you count Malfoy. He screeched like a little girl” Percy snickered
Hermione, Ron and Harry felt a bit of their worries fall away. They laughed along with Percy. It almost felt like the end of their second year like Percy was exactly the same. Nevertheless, the mood quickly changed when Hermione asked;
“So what did you see then? Dementors are linked to memories after all,”
Percy’s face fell and Harry could physically feel his walls shooting back up again. “Nothing I would like to share,” Percy proceeded to stand up from the table “I am a bit tired so I think I’ll be heading off to bed.” Harry was almost nervous that they had angered him with the question, but just before he turned around Percy gave them a small smile.
“See you guys tomorrow”
After this affair, Harry noticed that Percy would act oddly around them. They didn’t feel like the well-oiled machine they were in the first and second years. Instead, there was a strange air hanging around them.
Things got worse when the news about Sirius came out. Percy was adamant that Sirius should deserve a second chance to clear his name. With claiming to have seen almost all detective shows under the sun (apparently his mom was a big fan) he was sure the story didn’t add up and scientifically the evidence did neither. Unfortunately, science differs far from what wizards believe in.
Looking back Harry should have agreed with Percy. After all, he was right about Sirius in the end. However, with the information about Sirius's betrayal freshly being given to him, Harry fought Percy’s every word. Ron, who had grown up with the horrendous tales of Sirius Black, agreed with Harry and said that Sirius should be locked up and his words ‘let a giant swallow the key’.
Their only middle ground in this whole debacle was Hermione. While she was sceptical of Sirius's innocence, she did believe the story didn’t add up. So even though Ron and Harry barely spoke a word with Percy, they still kept connected through Hermione.
It stayed this way until Professor Lupin’s last lesson about boggarts. Until now Harry had never seen Percy in class when it was brought out. While Harry was happy Percy missed his big freak out, he did find it odd Percy refused to attend the class. Especially since he really seemed to hit it off with Professor Lupin.
Hermione told Ron and Harry one day that Percy had said that he was afraid of clowns. Apparently, he didn’t want to make a fool out of himself in front of the whole class. However, Hermione also noticed that once again his joke did not feel as genuine. She told Harry that Percy was probably not going to show up for most of the semester.
At least that was until the news went around that Lupin was threatening him with an F if he missed any other class. Apparently, being friends with the professor doesn’t mean you are automatically excused from not showing up.
And thus during this particular class, Percy could be found in his regular seat. Without trying to be too obvious Harry would try to sneak glances at Percy. While he had a smile on his face something was of putting about it, to anyone else it might have seemed normal but to Harry, who had known him for years, he could see Percy was nervous.
Later Harry would learn to understand why Percy was nervous.
When it was Percy’s turn to get up to the front he tentatively shuffled forward. It took a while before the boggart seemed to move and Harry almost thought Percy must have no fears. Unfortunately, at that moment it slowly started to move.
The boggart did not transform into the so-called clown Percy was talking about, instead, a boy of about 10 years old appeared. He had black hair and an almost olive-toned complexion. What Harry noticed most were his red-rimmed eyes.
“You promised me, Percy!” The boy yelled hoarsely “You PROMISED you would keep Bianca safe!”
“Nico I-” Percy stammered.
“I should have never trusted you!” the boy named Nico continued. “I should have listened to Thorn when we had the chance.”
“No, Nico you did the right thing,” Percy said
“And see where it got me” Nico said hollowly “My whole family is dead because of you. Where am I supposed to go? Camp? the underworld?”
“You should stay with us, Nico!” Percy pleaded.
“I don’t think so,” Nico said coldly. “You are the reason Bianca is dead.” He moved as to turn around and walk away but in that moment the boggart transformed itself into another person.
It was a girl of about their age. She was tall and athletically built with golden curls tied in a messy ponytail. She was wearing an orange T-shirt and on her head, she was sporting some sort of baseball cap. All in all, she was very pretty.
“How could you Percy!” She scolded angrily “You are the reason Bianca and Zoë are dead, all because your big ego didn’t think I could handle myself.”
“No Anna-” Percy tried, but the girl wouldn’t listen.
“I would have been fine with Luke but you just had to come and interfere!” she was screaming now. “You know my desires, you know what I will choose in the end.”
“Stop it!” Percy screamed "Don't say that"
"You saw it with your own eyes! you really think a Siren would be lying" she said "Face it seaweed brain, no one wants to stay with you because you only get them killed."
Percy seemed too stunned to speak. The girl saw this as her opportunity to turn around and leave. Harry noticed this was a constant factor in Percy's boggart.
Only this time Percy made a move to grab her by the wrist. While his hand fell through, she did turn around with a rough jerk. Her eyes glowing gold this time.
“You are too late, Percy” the voice of the girl was now replaced by that of a young man.
“Luke?” Percy questioned.
“You really think that she would choose you? That anyone would choose to follow you in the end” The voice sounded mocking “You, Percy Jackson, are a screw up”
“She would never-” Percy stopped his sentence midway, like even he wasn’t sure if that was the truth.
The voice coming from the girl chuckled. Blood started to pore from invisible wounds lacerating her skin.
As 'she' spoke again the voices of the girl and man seemed to be playing in unison.
“Once they turn their backs to you I will send you down to the darkest depths of the underworld, never to be seen again. Time will rise and conquer the lands once again, and know that you were to blame.”
Percy looked at her without a readable expression on his face. Harry thought he was done for and he seemed willing to follow the girl to wherever she had damned him for.
But at that moment a twinkle appeared in Percy’s eyes. “Never to be seen again” He muttered “See-” Percy raised his head and looked up defiantly at her.
“You are wearing your Yankees cap.” He almost smiled. “I forgot this isn't real”
In one quick move, Percy pulled out his wand and pointed it at the girl. “RIDICULOUS!” he yelled.
The image of the bleeding girl transformed into a huffing centaur in a party dress. On his behind the words ‘party ponies’ was written in pink glittery paint.
However, nobody felt like laughing at it. Most understood they had just witnessed something that was not meant for public entertainment. It left an eerie silence in the classroom except for the small inaudible whisper Percy let out.
Harry had enough of this, he knew how it was to be Percy in this situation. He walked up to him and grabbed him by the arm. “Let’s go, Percy, we’ll go get some pumpkin juice from the kitchen”. Hermione and Ron rushed to Harry’s aid and dragged Percy up.
“That sounds like a good idea Harry,” Lupin said somewhat stunned. “The rest of you start with putting back the desks,”
Harry, Ron and Hermione ushered Percy out of the classroom. Instead of getting him to the kitchen they anonymously decided getting some fresh air was maybe a better plan. So they dragged him all the way to the big lake, one of his favourite spots. They plopped down in the sand, looking over the lake.
“Percy…” Hermione started “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I think maybe you feel better if you do,”
Percy was silent for a moment. Harry thought he was once again going to build those walls back up but surprisingly to Harry, Percy let out a deep sigh.
“You’re right” He pinched the bridge of his nose “I should’ve told someone about this” His sentence transformed a bit into a mumble “I never talked to anyone about it, not my mom, or Grover, or Anna- yeah,”
Harry wanted to say something. Tell Percy everything would be alright. However, Harry decided what Percy really needed at this moment was just someone who listened. Luckily Hermione and Ron also gathered the same.
Percy looked up and turned his gaze towards the trio. “Last summer me and some friends from summer camp went on a … road trip. It was really cool, we went to Washington, Arizona, Hooverdam, San Fransico….” Percy was silent for a moment again, he turned to look over the lake “It was too crowded, the car was basically too full … and I was the last person to join. Bianca and Zoë died during the trip and if I had not gone they probably would still be alive.”
“But Percy you couldn’t have known..” Hermione said softly.
“But I did know! I knew I shouldn’t go but one of my friends in San Francisco needed my help and this was the only way to get there.” Percy said heatedly. “I abandoned all rules! If I had just stayed put everything could have been fine!”
“What about your friend in San Fransico?” Harry interjected, “Would they have been fine?”
Percy sighed again “I don’t know, I think maybe not or at least that’s what I like to think to keep me sane. She is my best friend I couldn’t just leave her there…”
“See, you probably saved her,” Hermione said.
“But two others died! I promised Nico, Bianca’s little brother, that I would keep her safe. The look on his face… It felt as if he died with her.”
“And it was not your fault! I don’t know exactly what happened but Percy… You’re taking on responsibilities that aren’t yours to take”
“And how do I know which ones are mine?”
“Look, your friends choose to go on this trip right? I am not saying they chose this fate but following you was their responsibility, they made this decision. I don’t know about your friends but Percy, if you took up the responsibility for every decision I make, I would be so mad that I’ll probably curse you every day for at least six months.
“Yeah” Ron interjected “It is like my mom used to say. Kindness to yourself is your responsibility, receiving kindness from others is your strength”
Percy looked at them intensely and then lowered his head. At that moment Hermione dove in for a hug. Ron and Harry soon followed. The group stayed this way for a long time until Percy laughed sniffly “I think my airways are being constricted” and they all backed off laughing.
After it died down a bit Hermione nervously asked “Is this why you’ve been so down recently,”
Percy looked surprised for a second. Maybe he thought they wouldn’t have noticed it.
“Yeah a lot of things happened- are happening” He sighed "Explains the grey hairs you know" Percy said as he touched the streak of white in his hair. But with the dire situation, his joke fell flat. “It’s just… everyone expects me to always do the right thing but sometimes I just don’t know what it is anymore. Both my families are screwed up and they expect me to be the sane one, like I don’t want to be evil but you’re not setting the best example here” He said as he threw his hand in the air.
“Both your families are? I thought your dad’s side was the weird one” Ron said.
Percy was silent for a moment. “Yeah, the other side is not much better” he snorted “Look I will tell you but… just promise me you don’t, like, view me differently or anything.”
“Spit on it,” Harry said as he held up his hand, Percy smiled.
“What?” Ron asked shocked.
“We spit on our hands and then shake them,” Harry said. Hermione's nose crunched up in disgust.
Ron looked questionably from Harry to Hermione and finally landed on Percy.
“You’re muggle traditions are so weird sometimes”
Harry and Percy shrugged their shoulders. They all spat on their palms but decided to stack them on each other instead of shaking them. Even though they let Hermione’s hand be on the top she still looked like she was about to puke and immediately wiped her hands on Ron’s robes.
“Just know, officially I am not allowed to tell anybody this” Percy looked a bit nervous but he started his explanation. “Look you know how adamant I am about Sirius being the good guy? Well, I kind of have to… he is my family”
Harry’s mouth fell open. He looked to his side and saw the same expression on Ron and Hermione’s faces.
“Your family?” Ron asked “But I thought Sirius was the only pure Black left”
“Well technically yes” Percy began and he explained how he learned only a few years ago that his mom had been born into the Black family.
“So yeah that’s the story. And you know how I told you that my dad’s side of the family is … peculiar. That’s why I really hoped that this side was at least somewhat normal… but I guess not.”
Suddenly Ron’s head shot up like he had seen the light. “Wait! That makes you close relatives with…Malfoy.”
Percy groaned in response “Don’t start, I almost managed to erase that fact from my memory. But hey, if that’s your only concern I am glad.”
The group laughed. Harry’s own concerns washed away the longer the afternoon went on. They didn’t talk about the fact that Sirius and Percy were related but instead joked about his connections to the Malfoys. At one point Ron tried to turn Percy’s hair blonde to see if they looked similar. As they sprinted around the lake, trying to catch Percy, Harry couldn’t stop beaming.
They finally got their Percy back.
Harry’s week improved even more after that as he managed to catch the snitch during the final of the quidditch cup. Making this the first Gryffindor win in ages. Although the fun quickly halted as the studying for the end-of-year exams started.
Every day they found themselves in the library studying under Hermione’s watchful eye. Percy had tried to run a couple of times but Hermione had used a spell to bind him together with his chair. She let them out of the musty room only during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those moments were what Harry looked forward to each day. Quite a sad life to live he thought.
One particular breakfast a strange owl came flying in with the morning mail. The ends of his feathers almost looked plated with gold and it glistered in the light coming in from the window. To their shock the owl came flying right towards them, dropping a letter on Percy’s plate.
Percy looked surprised as he picked up the letter. He did rarely receive letters since he claimed he had a better way of communicating with people. Harry sometimes wondered if Percy had managed to sneak a mobile phone into Hogwarts.
Slowly Percy opened the letter and immediately Ron, Hermione and Harry bowed themselves over the table to read it with him. The letter was short and neatly written.
Hey Percy,
How are you doing? Just wanted to let you know I have decided to help Grandpa K. Tired of being used by Uncle Z you know? This means I kind of retract the promise I made about helping you. Hope you don’t think badly of me.
Wish you well and hope you don’t die!
Xoxo aunty H
“You have to be kidding me!” Percy had yelled as he crumpled up the letter and shoved it in his pocket. “I will join you guys later in the library” He had grumbled “I have to make some calls- I mean write some letters.”
Whatever Percy’s so-called aunt had meant, had put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day. It also didn’t get much better when he was asked to come to professors Dumbledore’s office after dinner. Percy kept saying they found something to expel him for. ‘Maybe it’s my candy stash? Maybe they found out I stole Malfoys shoes? I don’t know!’. Hermione kept trying to calm him down, and Harry was just trying to finish his treacle pudding in peace before dinner ended.
When the plates vanished from the tables, Dumbledore rose and gave Percy a meaningful nod. He stood up somewhat nervously and walked towards the door Dumbledore had left from.
Of course, three seconds later, Harry, Hermione and Ron were following them in pursuit. They halted as they saw lights spilling from a classroom. Percy’s voice was audible through the crack in the door.
“Whatever you think I did, I did not do it.” He said bravely.
To their surprise, it was not Dumbledore’s voice that spoke up, but that of Lupin. “Percy, don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.”
“I am not?”
“Do you have something to be in trouble for?” Lupin asked suspiciously.
“Not if you haven’t heard anything about any shoes gone missing…” Percy questioned.
This time it was Dumbledore who spoke up. “Percy, we just want to know if you are alright. Professor Lupin told me what happened in his classroom the other day.”
“oh, that..” Percy said slowly “It was nothing, I am fine”
“Are you sure Percy? What I saw was disturbing, to say the least,” Lupin said.
“Yeah, it wasn’t real or anything… and I really am fine now”
“mmm,” Dumbledore sounded “Professor Lupin I think I would like to speak with Percy in private for a little bit.”
"Alright," Lupin said defeated "and Percy, to ease your mind, for your exams I will find a replacement activity for the boggart"
"Thank you professor" Percy responded.
At that moment the trio saw Lupin's shadow move towards the door. “Move!” Harry whispered. They hastily shuffled behind one of the pillars just as Lupin exited the room. When the coast was clear they returned to their position, unfortunately, Lupin had closed the door almost completely now, making Dumbledore and Percy difficult to understand.
“-The woods ..…mentioned Chiron… to camp?” Harry believed Dumbledore had said. He looked at Ron and Hermione but from their facial expression, they had cached about the same.
Percy replied to Dumbledore, but unfortunately, he was also difficult to hear. “…-know about half-blood…-parent?-”
“…- is my grandmother”
“Oh she is a pain in the ass” Harry was sure he heard Percy clearly on that one. In response, they heard a slight chuckle coming from the room.
Dumbledore continued “…-your father I believe?”
“… - Sea, horses, earth-…- all that stuff”
“…-after world war II?”
They heard Percy clearly again this time “Yeah that’s kind of an issue at the moment.”
Harry thought he might be stupid but he had no way of following this conversation. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one as at that moment Ron spoke up.
“Do any of you have a clue what they're talking about?”
Hermione sighed frustrated “No! I wish they just spoke more clearly”. She had a quill in her hand now and had written down some words.
“Why are you writing that down?” Ron asked.
“Because Ron, Percy is our friend but I have always thought there was something odd about him. I think this is it, this is the thing he doesn’t want to tell us”
Harry didn’t want to think that way but he had to agree with Hermione. Ever since he had known Percy he thought something was off. He could never think of what it was because Percy was nice, strong, bold, funny… basically everything that made a good friend. It might have been the combinations of those factors and most of all the intensity he held for all of them that made him seem odd.
Harry focused back on the conversation in the room only to seemingly catch the end. “…- Kronos ” Percy finished.
“I see,” Dumbledore said heavenly. Their voices now became clear as Dumbledore opened to door of the room. The trio quickly dove behind the pilar again.
“I am sorry to hear this Percy, and I am more sorry to say there is little I can do I believe. While I might be strong here, there is nothing I could do against that kind of power” he sounded sad “However, if you need any help that I could give you within the realms of my power let me know.” Dumbledore spoke sincerely. They were walking slowly towards the end of the hall now.
“Maybe send your grandma an angry letter,” Percy said.
“I think I can arrange that.” Dumbledore chuckled softly “And can I ask… are there any others that you know of”
“Definitely!” Percy beamed “I discovered Luna last year. She’s definitely Annabeth’s sister. This will be her first year coming to camp-” Percy’s voice died down as he and Dumbledore disappeared behind a corner.
Hermione, Ron and Harry stared at each other thoughtfully.
“well” Ron spoke up “That was strange”
“You think we should ask Percy about it?” Harry wondered.
Hermione seemed to consider the options for a moment. “I think we should let it rest for now, maybe first have some more concrete questions to ask him. I will look what I can find but until then.. mouth shut.” She commanded.
“Aye, aye captain” Ron responded sarcastically.
The next morning Hermione told them that she was going to wait with her investigations until after the finals. Harry didn’t know if that was the reason but it had felt like ages before the exams actually started. When they did arrive most students were still nervous, although everyone knew it would take a very stupid mistake for you to not pass. Harry felt good about most subjects he had taken, excluding potions, but it wasn’t until their latest final, Divination, that everything really went wrong.
First, during Percy’s exam, he had gotten a strange outburst from Trelawney about him getting lost in a labyrinth, going to an island in the middle of the sea and seeing his own funeral. Harry had been shocked when Percy had just shrugged his shoulders and said that he would see what would happen. He later explained he didn’t really believe her prophecies and had a better source to ask.
Not much later Trelawney gave Harry the same death sentence, although Harry couldn’t be as calm about it as Percy had been. But just as he was to share his concerns with the others they got the news about Buckbeak losing the trial.
The four of them had gone down to help Hagrid but unfortunately, there was nothing they could do. With a sickening feeling, they left Hagrid’s pumpkin patch and made their way back to the castle.
They hadn’t gotten far though since at that moment Hermione’s cat Crookshanks had decided to make an end of Ron’s rat, Scabbers. While they quickly caught the animals, it had been only a forbode of what was to come. Because seconds later they would stand eye-to-eye with a big black dog, who was dragging Ron down into a hole under the whomping willow.
“Guys — we’ve got to go for help —” Hermione gasped. She was bleeding as the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.
“No! That thing’s big enough to eat him; we haven’t got time —” Harry said. He was trying to figure out how to make it past the branches of the tree.
“We’re never going to get through without help —”
Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.
“If that dog can get in, we can,” Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn’t get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree’s blows.
At that exact moment, Percy darted between the two. His sprint was so fast that every twig could only catch the air of where Percy had just been. While the twigs weren’t fast enough to catch him one of the main branches, sweeping on the floor right before the hole, probably could. Harry almost wanted to close his eyes as he didn’t want to see more legs break today. However, just before the branch hit, Percy jumped high into the air. Seconds later he divided down into the hole like an Olympic swimmer.
Harry was about to run after Percy to try and do the same, although probably break more than only his legs, but at that moment Crookshanks froze the tree by hitting a specific knot. Hermione and Harry ran towards the hole and slid down it. They made their way through the pathways until they ended up on a dark landing in the Shrieking Shack.
The only light spilling on the landing was from the open door at the end. Just before the entrance of the door, they saw a person. It was Percy, he was pressing his finger to his lips.
As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last nod with Percy. And with his wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.
It would have been something if Sirius had killed them right then and there. However, Percy had been right all along about Sirius being the good guy.
That evening Harry learned the Dursleys weren’t the only family he had left, he actually had an amazing godfather. Even with the dire situation, Harry had joked about being family with Percy now. When Sirius had learned about Percy also being a Black, and most of all not evil, he had given him a big hug, lifting his feet off the ground. Harry laughed at the situation and wished they could have stayed like this forever.
Unfortunately, as Peter escaped quickly after that there was no way to prove Sirius’s innocent. And so, standing on the clock tower Sirius spoke his last words to them.
“We’ll see each other again,” he said. He turned his head to Percy “Percy, remember, just because you’re a Black doesn’t mean you're rooted for evil”.
Next Sirius shifted his gaze to Harry. “Harry… You are — truly your father’s son” he said somewhat longingly.
He squeezed Buckbeak’s sides and the hippogriff quickly took off into the air. A few seconds later they disappeared behind the clouds.
Weirdly enough a few days later they found themselves back on the Hogwarts Express towards London. It still felt strange to Harry that all this had happened in the span of one day (well one day, lived twice).
As the train pulled away from the station Hermione gave them the surprising news that she was dropping muggle studies and divination next year.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us about it,” said Ron grumpily. “We’re supposed to be your friends.”
“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he’d see it again. . . .
“Oh, cheer up, Harry!” said Hermione sadly.
“I’m okay,” said Harry quickly. “Just thinking about the holidays.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about them too,” said Ron. “Harry, you’ve got to come and stay with us. I’ll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I’ll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —”
“A telephone, Ron,” said Hermione. “Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year. . . .”
Percy snorted, “Burbage still thinks we have rotor phones and the latest trend is bell bottoms- I don’t think you're missing out much.”
“Oh, and Percy-” Hermione said sarcastically “Why were you taking muggle studies again? Easy points I heard? What would happen if McGonagall found out.”
Percy stuck out his tongue towards Hermione.
“Anyway,” Ron said “The Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we’ll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work. Percy, you can come to if you have time off your summer camp!”
This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal. However, it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up. . . .
“Harry,” said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. “What’s that thing outside your window?”
Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry’s seat.
Harry picked up the letter. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, “It’s from Sirius!”
“Read it aloud!” the others yelled excitedly.
Dear Harry,
Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won’t tell you where, in case this falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about the owl’s reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.
I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven’t a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted.
There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt. Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from Gringotts vault number seven hundred and eleven — my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays’ worth of presents from your godfather.
I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle’s house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.
I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.
If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.
I’ll write again soon.
Sirius
PS since I know Percy and Ron will be there with you.
Percy, I didn’t have time to tell you this but contact Nymphadora Tonks, I think you two might hit it off. Under no circumstance call her Nymphadora though.
Ron, I thought might like to keep this owl, as it’s my fault you no longer have a rat.
Ron’s eyes widened. The mini owl was hooting excitedly.
“Keep him?” he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to their great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.
“What d’you reckon?” Ron asked the cat. “Definitely an owl?”
Crookshanks purred.
“That’s good enough for me,” said Ron happily. “He’s mine.”
“Now it comes down to you, Percy,” Harry said “When are you finally going to cave in and get an animal?”
“You know what!” Percy smiled “Next year I might get a big, black dog”
Crookshanks had huffed at that, probably not being as excited after the adventures he had had with Sirius.
Like Crookshank Ron huffed too “As long as it doesn’t bite me again,” he remarked.
They all burst out into a snicker, reliving the crazy weeks they just had. Their laughter continued all the way back to London.